Banish Blowdrying Boredom

Introduction

Although I've never been formally tested for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), I suspect that I have many of the obvious tendencies. I am the first to admit that my mind is like a Mexican jumping bean bouncing from topic to topic with turbo speed.

While you may suspect that I am merely the victim of a Starbucks addled brain, the actual truth is that I went cold turkey from my beloved lattes many months ago. Yes, I adore Starbucks but I discovered that my morning hedonistic caffeine pleasures just aren't good for my hair. The health of my tresses won out over my love of my morning coffee thrills.

One benefit of having a buzzy brain is that I am always thinking about weird things, especially when I am forced to do boring, but necessary tasks, like taking a shower, shampooing my hair or blow drying it. Yeah OK, no one is holding a gun to my head to make me shower but the rest of the folks at HairBoutique.com probably appreciate my commitment to daily showers. (Image of Conair - 1600 Midsize Hair Dryer).

Recently I was extremely bored while blow drying and came up with a list of ten cool things a multi-tasking maniac like me could perform while yielding the dryer.

1. Crank Up The Tunes

A lot of consumer focused blow dryers have the quiet tone motors these days which makes listening to your favorite rock divas a snap. Although I only blow dry once or twice a month, I always have a stack of Jessica, Avril, Michelle Branch, Stevie Nicks and Annie Lenox CDs ready to ease the monotony.

While you may have to crank up the divas a little louder than normal, at least you have a great excuse. Of course please practice some consideration if you share your living spaces or have sensitive neighbors.

2. Let your toenails dry.

This is an ongoing problem for my fidgety feet. After a fabulous pedicure I always want to hop right up and pop on my boots, messing up my pedicure in the process. I realized that if I painted my tootsies and fired up the blow dryer, by the time I was done my toes would be perfectly dry and look fabulous.

I even discovered that if I randomly direct a blast of air towards my newly painted toes they dry even quicker.

3. Flip through hair, beauty and fashion magazines.

This works great if you're bent over at the waist. Even better, if your toe nails are dry (see #2), you can turn the pages with your toes, like Jessica Simpson. I admit it takes a little practice to get the hang of using your feet as hand replacements but it works great once you practice.

Who knows, while you're flipping new hairstyle inspiration might strike like a thunderbolt.

4. Stretch and exercise.

Unless you actually blow dry your tresses with your toes, you can sneak in a few stretches, lunges and other stationary exercises while you move the hot air around your head. It gives me immense ADD pleasure to tone my backside while I am conquering my waves.

5. Mentally Plan Your Day

Position a notepad or your day timer near your drying station and let your mind race ahead to plan your day.

Or practice your planned speech to ask your boss for a raise, get your sweetie to take you to lunch or deal with a pesky co-worker. (Image of Conair - 1875 Hair Dryer to the side).

Even grocery shopping lists turn out better for me when I am trying to multi-task over the sink. Heck, I even remember obscure items that I keep forgetting to add to my ongoing list. Maybe it is all that blood rushing to my head or maybe it is just a great time to get focused.

6. Watch TV

If watching the news or the morning shows is too distracting while you brush and blow, consider popping on the weather channel which simply displays maps. This provides entertainment value while helping you plan whether to use extra Phytodefrisant balm for a muggy day or load up on hairspray. You can even decide whether to put the top up or down on your beloved convertible.

7. Eat

Granted that chowing down while one hand is holding a blow dryer can be a little tricky but if you are creative, all things are possible. I have found that drinking orange juice, eating dry toast with one hair and drying with the other, can work just fine. But definitely skip the jam and jelly toppings since Murphy's Law of Toast Toppings means that the stickiest parts will wind up in your newly shampooed tresses.

8. Practice Positive Self Talk

What better time to tell yourself that you have gorgeous hair, a fabulous body and a beautiful smile than while manipulating a brush and dryer? Repeat at least 100 times outloud....I have beautiful hair, I have a gorgeous smile, I love my hair....or whatever else you wish to focus on.

9. Organize Your Medicine Cabinet

Depending on what stage of the blow drying process I have hit, I may have a free hand to dig through the medicine cabinet. After all, it is right next to my head and it's disheveled contents are always begging for my attention. I have managed to accomplish mini search and destroy missions eliminating dated makeup, lotions and empty aspirin bottles while drying my hair at the same time. Ahhh, nirvana.

If you have a blow dryer with a really long cord, you might even be able to clean out other cabinets surrounding your blow drying command post.

10. Listen To Voice Mail Messages

This option definitely depends on your ability to hear well over the roar of the dryer's motor. If you have a quiet dryer, you may be able to punch up the speaker phone to get better acoustics. Then listen to your messages, saving those that you need to respond to and deleting the solicitation calls offering you new phone cards, banking services or dog walking deals.

Five Things Not To Do While Blow Drying

Of course there are other things you can do at the same time you are blow-drying if you want be downright obnoxious, but I recommend you eat more carbs, be nice and consider the consequences or reckless blow drying behaviors.

So what five things should you avoid doing while blow drying?

1. Taking a bath or shower.

You may think I am kidding but Conair has a warning label on some of their dryers to avoid using a blow dryer in the shower or bath. After all, it can literally kill ya.

2. Driving Any Vehicle

You have probably seen people shaving, putting on makeup, eating five course meals, reading and watching TV while driving. I see that all the time in Dallas. However, please do not attempt blow drying your hair, even if you have a cordless model dryer, while cruising down the Toll ways. Not only will you end up with a horrendously bad hair day, you will risk everyone's safety.

3. Walking Through The Mall

I agree that blow drying your hair with your favorite cordless blow dryer is convenient. However, unless you are safely tucked away in one of the mall's restrooms, keep your dryer out of plain view. Not only will you cause a public disturbance, the mall security guards may haul you off to mall jail.

4. During Church Services

No matter how bored you may be by the sermon or the people around you, blow-drying in church is strictly taboo. Although blow-dryers may be appropriate in the dressing areas in the front or back of the church for wedding party members or clergy having bad hair days, no one else should consider taking their dryer to church.

5. At The Airport

Since many blow dryers tend to be shaped a little like handguns, you may have a problem getting your beloved dryer through security. If you manage to, you are certainly encouraged to dry your hair in the restrooms, if dripping wet hair plaques you at the time. Of course blow drying in the common waiting areas would disrupt the ability of fellow passengers to hear the very important ongoing messages blasting over the loudspeakers, so you may wish to refrain.

Summary

While a lot of my comments have been tongue-in-cheek and to evoke humor, in reality, it is always important to remember to use common sense while yielding this all-powerful electrical hair styling tool. And yes, be creative, have fun, but be safe.

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